What every Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and DeafBlind worker should know about the law
⚠️ Not legal advice. This page is for information only. For your specific situation, contact the EEOC or an employment attorney.
The Short Version
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) says employers with 15 or more employees cannot discriminate against you because you're Deaf — and they must provide reasonable accommodations like interpreters, captions, or visual alerts.
Using a hearing aid or cochlear implant doesn't change your rights. The law protects you regardless.
What Employers Must Provide
These are considered reasonable accommodations under the ADA. Your employer pays for all of them:
ASL interpreters — in person or video remote (VRI) for interviews, meetings, training
Live captioning (CART) — real-time text of what's being said
Video Relay Service (VRS) access
Captions on Zoom, Teams, and all video calls
Visual/strobe fire alarms and emergency alerts
Captioned phones and hearing-aid-compatible headsets
Written notes for brief communications
Your employer cannot lower your pay to cover accommodation costs. That's illegal.
During the Hiring Process
Employers cannot ask about your disability before offering you the job
They can ask if you can perform the essential job functions
You don't have to disclose you're Deaf unless you need an accommodation for the interview
Employers must provide (and pay for) an interpreter for your interview
They cannot cancel your interview because they assume accommodations would be too expensive
Real Cases, Real Consequences
These are actual cases where employers broke the law:
Werner Enterprises (2023) — $36 million jury verdict
Refused to hire a qualified Deaf truck driver. The jury deliberated under two hours.
Amazon (2022) — $1.2 million settlement
Denied interpreters during employee training.
FedEx (2016) — $500,000 settlement
Denied an interpreter to a Deaf job applicant.
Walmart — $300,000 settlement
Denied interpreters at employee meetings.
Toys "R" Us (2013) — $35,000 settlement
Made a Deaf applicant provide her own interpreter for the interview.
The "Too Expensive" Excuse
Employers can only refuse an accommodation if it causes "undue hardship" — meaning significant difficulty or expense relative to their resources.
In practice, this almost never works for Deaf accommodations. Most are free or cheap: captions, VRI, written notes, strobe alarms. The bar is extremely high, and the employer has to prove it.
How to File a Complaint
If an employer discriminated against you:
Go to eeoc.gov/filing-charge-discrimination
File within 180 days (or 300 days if your state has its own civil rights agency)
"Because of my hearing disability, I need [specific accommodation, e.g., an ASL interpreter for team meetings] to perform my job effectively. I'm requesting this as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act."
Tip: Always make the request in writing (email counts). Keep copies of everything.